"When the American Civil Liberties Union marks its 100th
birthday in 2020, some of the country's most respected fiction and nonfiction
authors will offer in a published anthology their takes on U.S. Supreme Court
decisions and other court cases with which the organization has been involved
during the last century.The project began shortly after the election of President Donald Trump when authors Michael Chabon and his wife Ayelet Waldman, a lawyer, contacted the ACLU asking how they might volunteer.
➤➤ Among the volunteer writers, Salman Rushdie has chosen United States v. New York Times, the Pentagon Papers challenge. Lauren Groff will write about the landmark abortion ruling, Roe v. Wade. Meg Wolitzer has taken Griswold v. Connecticut and Jesmyn Ward will write on Chicago v. Morales. Other writers include Jennifer Egan, Colson Whitehead, Hanya Yanagihara, Ann Patchett, Marlon James and Louise Erdrich.
➤➤ Waldman, with Chabon, will edit the stories and essays. The concept, she said, "moves beyond the whole idea of the Supreme Court and becomes a way to understand the history of the civil rights movement and the conception of what it means to be a citizen. I think this could be a phenomenal teaching tool for high schools and colleges."
The editors and literary agency are donating their advance and any proceeds connected to the book to the ACLU. The contributing writers are forgoing payment.
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